Until Today by Pam Fluttert Page A

door to run to the clubhouse.
    â€œOh! You scared the wits out of me.” Mom clenches her hand over her chest, her other hand offers the cordless phone.
    â€œSorry,” I mumble, trying to step around her.
    â€œWait.” Mom grabs my arm. “Steph is on the phone.”
    â€œSteph?” I ask stupidly.
    â€œYes.” Mom studies me, her eyebrow raised in concern. “Are you okay?”
    â€œYeah.” I take the phone and turn around to close the door again.
    â€œYou’re welcome,” Mom shouts when the door shuts in her face.
    I haven’t spoken to Steph since our last fight. What can she want?

Chapter Fourteen

    I stare at the phone, afraid to answer it. If Steph starts talking about Mike, we’ll argue again. But if she misses me as much as I miss her…
    I sit on the bed and raise the phone to my ear. “Hello?” My voice croaks like a sick frog.
    â€œHi,” Steph whispers.
    Our breathing is the only thing breaking the silence between us. The phone is slippery in my sweaty palm. Why doesn’t she say anything? Did she change her mind? Maybe I can’t hear her over my pounding heart.
    â€œHow are you?” Steph finally asks.
    How am I? I’m an emotional wreck. I feel lost and betrayed and I miss you like crazy. You haven’t been here for me through any of this.
    Shying away from voicing any of these thoughts, I shrug my shoulders as if she’s in the room. “Fine. You?”
    â€œOkay. Look – this is kind of awkward – maybe I could come over?”
    â€œWhy?” I don’t want her here if we’re going to fight again.
    â€œBecause I miss you, you dork,” Steph says and then gasps. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to say that.”
    I catch my breath. Did she say she misses me?
    â€œAre you there? Kat?”
    A bubble of laughter escapes. Trying to hold it in, I start to snort and then we’re both laughing.
    â€œI’ll meet you at the front door,” I gasp between giggles, and we both hang up.
    I throw open the front door just as Steph runs up the driveway.
    â€œHey, Dork,” she says, bounding up the steps. We laugh and hug, goofy grins plastered on our faces.
    â€œI’m sorry,” we both say in unison and collapse again into a fit of giggles.
    â€œCome on upstairs.” We run to my room. Closing the door, I grin at my best friend. It’s so good to have her back.
    â€œI’m sorry,” she says. “I don’t know how many times I picked up the phone to call you and chickened out. I was hurt that you didn’t need me when Sarah disappeared—”
    â€œThat’s not true! You weren’t home. You were out with Mike.” I flinch at saying his name.
    â€œThat’s not fair….”
    I hold up my hand. “It doesn’t matter. You weren’t home when it happened. It doesn’t matter where you were.”
    Liar. You were upset that she was out with Mike when you needed her. Ignoring the voice inside my head, I flop down on the bed beside Steph. She has that look on her face, as if she is trying to hold something back.
    â€œWhat?” I ask.
    â€œNothing.”
    â€œCome on. What’s up? It’ll kill you to keep your mouth shut.”
    Steph smiles before becoming serious. “You okay, Kat?”
    I’m suddenly wary. What does she know?
    â€œOf course I’m okay. What do you mean?”
    â€œWell, Scott said you haven’t been yourself lately.”
    â€œScott doesn’t know what he’s talking about. Besides, why were you talking about me like that?”
    â€œDon’t get mad. I had to practically drag it out of him. I wanted to know how you were after Sarah’s disappearing act. He told me that I should’ve come to see how you’re doing. He’s right. I’m sorry we fought.”
    I shrug, uncomfortable with this conversation.
    â€œHe told me you aren’t yourself.